Making its debut at ProLight+Sound next month will be the analogue to digital option card for our new DS8000 Audio Distribution System. The addition of a couple of extra connectors on the rear panel opens up a wealth of new facilities and possibilities for the DS8000, and the best part is they are all in addition to what’s already there – so you get even more splitting and distro options!
The comforting glow of knowing you’ll be able to see all the controls in the dark. It’s just like valves 😉
The micro-controlled card provides 8 channels of 24-bit XTA grade analogue to digital conversion with selectable sample rate up to 192kHz. Sample rate is adjusted via links on the board and indicated using a tri-colour LED next to the innocuous looking 25 pin D-type on the rear panel. This socket (wired to accept any Tascam format AES breakout cable) actually has another trick up its sleeve – each AES stream (of a pair of channels) is also split and offered on ‘A’ and ‘B’ positions, transformer isolated from each other.
So, each input now can split to 2 x transformer balanced analogue outputs, 2 x electronically balanced outputs AND 2 x AES outputs – and 8 channels of this!
But that’s not the end of the story…there is also a BNC socket for word clock sync. This can be used as an input, syncing from 32kHz up to 192k automatically, with an associated LED showing when the card has successfully locked to the incoming word clock signal. It can also be switched to provide a master clock output (adjustable via link on card) at 48/96/192k, to allow one unit in a system to synchronise any other DS8000s (or other digital gear).
We will have a unit at the show connected up to the max with AES outputs feeding one external system directly, as well as to an AES-MADI system for direct to disk recording, and of course the standard analogue outputs – come along and see it in action…we’re in Hall 8.0 with Atlantic Audio on stand F60.
